From the chaste cellars of a Benedictine abbey to a celebrity-drenched dinner hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow, Dom Pérignon Champagne has been a symbol of success. When the young monk Pierre Pérignon assumed the role of cellar master at the Benedictine Abbey of Hautvilliers in 1668, his goal, he said, was to "make the best wine in the world." Through extensive experimentation, he developed the méthode champenoise, a series of techniques to produce a clear, effervescent wine. On tasting his creation, Pérignon reportedly exclaimed, "I'm drinking stars." His contemporaries must have agreed. Before long, Pérignon's Champagne was the toast of Louis XIV's...